Dark Skies
by Forever-Luke
Summary: Coming home Luke finds a horrifying discovery and vows to find the ones responsible for what was done to his wife. NOT A DARK LUKE STORY.
1. Discovery

Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars.

**Dark Skies**

**By**

**Forever-Luke**

Mara unlocked the door to the apartment that she and her recently wed husband Luke share, walking into the living area she threw her duffel bag onto the floor and went to flip on the lights, but nothing happened. Odd? She made her way to the lamp on the desk in the far corner, half way across the dimly lit room movement caught her eye, spinning she whipped out the small wrist blaster she carried. Aiming it ahead she stretched out with the force for any signs of an intruder, but could sense nothing. Slowly making her way towards the bedroom where she had seen something move, she kept a cautious eye on the open doorway, easing into the room she felt a slight breeze, looking in the direction of the balcony she saw that the large glass doors were open, doors that should have been locked since she had been off planet, and she knew that it wasn't Luke, because he had been staying with his sister since last they spoke. She had no doubt in her mind now that there had been an intruder in the apartment, and gut instinct told her that they were still here, but if that was true then why couldn't she sense them. Turning back towards the living area she came face to face with a dark figure, jumping backwards she went for the trigger but something hard smacked her across the head, she collapsed to her knees daze, but the blow was repeated and she fell onto her stomach as darkness engulfed her.

* * *

Luke released the throttle as he manoeuvred the speeder into the small hanger of the apartment he shared with his wife, today had been a long day one that he was glad was over. Climbing out of the craft he headed for the lift, he couldn't wait the see Mara, to hold her in his arms again, the last week had been painful not having her on Coruscant. Mara had gone to investigate a possible lead on a rumour about a dark Jedi that was running with a crime syndicate, but from when they had last spoken she had said that it had been nothing but a waste of time and didn't appear to be to happy about it either, he was sure that he would hear all about it later tonight.

The ride in the lift didn't take long and he was at the door of the apartment before he knew it, opening the door he entered the brightly lit living area, a smile crossed his face as he saw the duffel bag lying on the floor where it had been thrown. "Mara I'm back!" he called but there was no reply, he walked to the opened bedroom door, maybe she was sleeping? If she was then he wouldn't wake her.

Passing through the door a cold chill ran down his spine making him shiver. "Mara?" she wasn't on the bed, the sound of running water came to his ears, she must be in the shower. He walked over to the door and knocked, "Mara I'm back," still no answer. Stretching out with the force he tried to touch her mind to see if she was alright, but he couldn't seem to find her presences. Pulling out his lightsaber he opened the door and entered, "Mara?"

She lay on the shower floor, her back to him, the water falling down over her naked body, turning red as it flowed down the drainage hole.

"Mara!" he rushed to her and fell to his knees, grabbing her shoulder he pulled her over onto her back, he whimpered in horror as he saw her bloody beaten face, her eyes were swollen shut and her nose and jaw were smashed. He quickly checked for any sign of life, her breathing was shallow and there was a faint pulse. Carefully picking her up in his arms he carried her to the bed and laid her down gently, grabbing the blankets he covered her cold and pale body before rushing to the com and calling for a med team. Coming back he knelt beside her and held one of her hands in his, "don't you die on me," he whispered, tears running down his cheeks mixing with the water from the shower. Stretching out desperately he tried to find her in the force, but his mind wouldn't touch her.

"Please don't die," he begged, gently running a hand over her wet red hair, staring painfully at her unrecognisable face, "please don't die."

_

* * *

__**Alright this is kind of a teaser chapter for this story. I wanted to see what people thought. So let me know what you think and if you're interest. **_

_**And yes JOAC (Joys of a Commander) chapter 2 is coming I promise, just tweaking it a little more.** _


	2. Decisions

_**Thankyou for all the reviews. For **__**starwarssomeone**__** this is not a dark Luke story, but he might just walk the border every now and then. Just because you were all nice I will tell you now that Mara will survive.**_

_**If the grammar is not quite right, my checker wasn't here, sorry.**_

_**Hope you like.**_

* * *

Leia burst through the doors of the Imperial Palace Medical Center, hurrying along the white corridors she headed for the intensive care wing where General Rieekan had called her from. He had not said much over the coms, expect that there had been some kind of incident involving Luke and Mara and that she should get over here right away. She suddenly wished Han was here to back her up, he had gone away on a mission for the New Republic and wouldn't be back for another three weeks. She stretched out with what little force ability she had to find her brother, their minds touched and Leia got a wave of anger and grief before Luke quickly blocked her out. This action worried Leia a lot, she had not sensed him in such a way for quite a long time. Turning a corner she spotted Rieekan talking to some doctors, she hurried her pace until she stopped in front of him. "What happened? Where's Luke?" 

"Your brother's okay," the general replied, "he's just emotionally upset at the moment."

"Why, what's happen?" Leia noticed the sudden change in Riekeen's expression and senses, and it was starting to scare her.

"I think it would be best if we talked somewhere more private," he said gesturing to an empty room. Leia followed him as he led the way, he shut the door to the room and turned to stare at her, not sure how to start.

"Just tell me," Leia couldn't take it any longer, she needed to know what had happened.

"We received a call earlier this evening from this medical center, telling us that Mara Jade Skywalker had been emitted in a critical, near dead condition," Rieekan started.

"No," Leia gasped, not wanting to believe it.

"They said that she had been beaten repeatedly across the skull and that her face had been smashed," the General watched as a wave of emotions washed over Leia's face. "They are not sure whether she will survive or not."

Leia choked back the grief and anger for her sister in-law. "Who… who did this?"

"I sent a team over to your brother's apartment to find any clues, they are still looking but they did find something," Rieekan paused, "there was a pair of black credits that had a red symbol of a skull of a krayt dragon on them."

Leia became confused. "Credits?"

"Yes, we have come across them before at other crime scenes, we believe that they are a calling card," Rieekan explained.

"From who?"

"We've learnt that they are a gang living in the depths of Coruscant and that they call themselves the Blood Dragons," he answered.

Leia was silent for a moment taking it all in, "why Mara?"

"That we are not sure," he admitted, "we think that this gang might have connections to the syndicate that she and your brother were investigating."

"She was getting too close, so they tried to kill her." It was hard for Leia to believe what was done, Mara always seemed to be a strong woman, capable of taking care of herself.

Rieekan shook his head, "no, your brother found her alive, if they wanted her dead then she would be. These people don't make mistakes."

"Then why let her live?"

"I don't know."

"Where's Luke?" Leia finally asked.

"Mara's room, 174, he been waiting there for her to come out of surgery," Rieekan said, "and Leia, just so you know, the doctors are talking about keeping her in a comatose like state."

"What for?"

"They say that she has a lot of damage to the brain and that she will heal quicker and in less pain if she's unconscious."

"Oh," Leia nodded understandingly, "room 174?"

"174."

Leia thanked Rieekan for what he had done and left, following the signs she soon found Mara's room, opening the door she walked in to see an empty bed and her brother starring out the window at the traffic of Coruscant, his back to her. Walking over to him she wrapped an arm around his torso in a comforting hug, "she's going to be alright," she whispered pulling him close.

"I can't feel her," he whispered back hoarsely, "I can't touch her mind."

"It's probably just whatever the doctors are giving her," Leia assured, "I'm sure once she's healing, you will be able to sense her again."

"I should never have married her," he choked. "This wouldn't have happened if we weren't married."

"You don't know that," Leia argued.

"Everybody I have loved, everybody that I have gotten close to, have been hurt or died," he retorted.

"Stop right there! I don't want to here such things!" Leia ordered. "You are not to blame for what has happened."

"But…"

"No!" she cut him off, "General Rieekan said that it was a gang that attacked Mara."

"A gang?"

"Yes, the Blood Dragons, Rieekan think that they were hired by the syndicate that you and Mara were investigating." She told him what the General had told her.

"But Mara said that her trip was a dead end when we last spoke." Luke said.

"I really don't know, I'm just going on what Rieekan told me, and truly I don't think he knows ever," Leia admitted.

They both fell silent, Leia gently stretched out to her brother's mind and touched it, most of his thoughts were blocked, buried beneath the barriers, but some of the emotions were slipping past, threatening to overwhelm him. She pulled him into an embrace, holding him tight. "Let it out," she whispered, "don't keep it in."

He held her back, burying his head in her neck, he cried. She stroked his back gently whispering reassures.

* * *

It was a little past dawn when they brought Mara out of surgery and back to her room for an hour's recovery before starting her with bacta treatment. Luke had been allowed to stay until she was put in the bacta tank. After that he knew that Leia would be coming to pick him up and take him home, back to her apartment to rest.

He sat there holding his wife's hand, her fingers cold and pale in his. He had asked the doctors if she would live, they had sounded hopeful but underneath he had sensed their doubt. A tear rolled down his cheek as he looked at her face, covered in bacta patches and braces to keep the set bones from cracking apart. As he stared at her anger and fear filled him, he tried to vanish those feeling from his mind, but they refused to leave remaining instead at the back of his senses.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her, "this is all my fault, if I had just listened to them this would never have happened." He squeezed her hand, "they warned me, but I was to greedy wanting to be happy I…" he choked back a sob, "I never should have married you," he brought her hand up to his face, his tears wetting it, "but I'm going to make it right, I just hope you will forgive me." He kissed her hand and placed it gently on the bed. Grabbing his wedding band with his thumb and forefinger he pulled it off, "goodbye my sweet Mara," he slipped the ring onto one of her fingers. "I hope you find someone that won't hurt you like I have." Wiping away the tears he straightened his clothing. Taking one last look at her he left the room and headed for the exit to meet the now arriving Leia. He would find the ones responsible for what was done to Mara, he would bring them to justice.


	3. Leavings

_**Big thankyou to everyone for your reviews.**_

_**I know this chapter is short, but the next chapter will be longer. (I hope)**_

_**This story probably isn't going in the direction that some of you had hoped, but I hope that those of you that are still reading it in the future will enjoy it.**_

_**Anyway, on with the story.**_

* * *

A few days later…

Leia let out a tremendous sigh as she climbed out of her speeder and walked to the main doors of her and Han's apartment. She had never felt so relaxed, she had finally decided to take a vacation and actually stick to the idea. Han would be so happy when he got back.

She stretched out with her senses for her brother, she had insisted that he stay with her after what had happen to Mara. She found his presents in the guest room, suddenly an odd feeling travel across their bond, but it quickly vanished, she shrugged it off, she have been getting a lot of different feeling from Luke over their bond the last couple of days.

Entering the main hall she headed for the kitchen, but paused looking in the direction of the guest room's door. She had defiantly felt something strange from her brother, something that didn't sit well with her. Perhaps if she just checked on him, to be sure he was alright.

She went to the door and knocked, "Luke?" There was no answer. She became worried, opening the door she peered in, the room was empty and the balcony doors where open. She quickly hurried over to them, a sudden fear of him leaving washing over her, she stopped as she saw a figure standing next to the railing, relief flooding her.

"Hey," she walking up to him, "how are you doing?"

"Okay," he replied softly, his eyes having a far away look in them.

"I'm going to make something to eat, are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he murmured, still not looking at her.

She got the distinct impression that he was hiding something from her, but thought that she would let it past, for now. "Alright, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." She squeezed his shoulder lovingly before turning and heading back through the room, that's when she noticed something half hidden under the covers of the bed. Stopping she pulled the blankets back to reveal a carry bag, peering inside the opened flip she saw it was stuffed with clothing, a blaster and Luke's lightsaber.

Turning back to the balcony angrily, she saw Luke standing in the door frame staring at her. "What's this?" she demanded holding up the carry bag.

"It does not concern you," he replied stubbornly.

"You are my brother," she replied hotly, "it does concern me."

"I don't want you to get involved." He stepped forward to take the bag from her, but she lifted it away from him.

"You're going after them, aren't you." It was not a question.

"I don't want you to get involved," he repeated.

"Luke, it's only normal to fell what you feel, you're angry and you want revenge," she said, "but you also have to remember that you're a Jedi and Jedi's turn to the dark side."

"I won't turn."

"How do you know?" Leia asked, "you said once that some Jedi don't even know that they're turning until it is already too late."

"I won't turn, and you can't stop me from bringing the Blood Dragons to justice." His voice echoing the hurt and anger he was feeling.

"If I can't stop you, then I will have to go with you," Leia said stubbornly.

"No!"

"I will not have you fall victim to the dark side," she snapped.

"Leia."

"No!" she almost shouted. "If you want to go after these people then you are taking me with you," he was about to speak, but she held up a warning finger. "Because one, I can help keep you from slipping to the dark side, and two, I can watch your back."

"Leia, someone needs to stay and watch Mara," Luke protested, his voice softening a bit as he got his emotions under control.

"And that someone should be you!" she retorted. "Rieekan has enough security watching her for the both of us, and Han will be home soon."

Luke was quite for a moment, thinking about what his sister had said. Leia stared at him waiting for a reply.

He finally let out a sigh. "Stubborn," he muttered to Leia.

"Right back at you brother," she said. "So I'm coming?"

"Do I have much of a choice," he replied.

"I'll go get ready then," she handed the carry bag back to him, "promise you won't leave without me."

"I promise."

"Good." She turned and left the room, leaving Luke by himself. He sat down on the bed and stared at a picture him and Mara that Leia had put on the side table.

_I hope I'm doing the right thing._

* * *

_**Let me know what you think.**_

_**If you haven't already guessed, the next chapter or so is going to be about Luke and Leia. **_

**_Mara will just have to wait her turn. _:)**

_**She will be waking up soon though, I promise. **_

_**And same as the last chapter, sorry about any grammar.**_


	4. Dragons

**CHAPTER 4**

Leia sat on the small bed in the corner of a room of the hotel she and Luke were staying in, looking through the data cards that her brother had acquired from some unknown source. They had learned that the last known place of Blood Dragons activity had been in a club a few levels down. Luke had gone to check out the area, while she had stayed to continue going through the information on the data cards. She hadn't discovered anything new that could be of any help except that some of the crimes that the Dragons had apparently committed had been pretty violent and nasty. Just then she heard someone outside the door, she grabbed her blaster while stretching out with her limited force powers, she relaxed as she touched her brother's mind.

"It's just me," he said as he entered the room, she almost didn't recognize him, forgetting that they had both disguised themselves to blend in with the locals.

They both wore dark attire, Luke had dyed his hair black and painted tattoo like markings down one side of his face, while she had gone for reddish black hair and had also painted similar markings down her face to help hide her features.

"Did you find anything?" she asked looking up at him.

"I'm not sure, I couldn't find any sign of the Dragons outside the club, so I went in," he replied sitting down on the end of her bed. "I couldn't sense them in the force, but there was something. I'm not sure what, just somethings not right at that club."

"Did you ask around for them?" Leia asked.

"I showed the bar tender the credits, but he said he'd never seen them before," he replied.

"And you think he was lying?"

"Yes. I got a strange feeling from him when I asked."

"Perhaps we should head back there, sit around and watch the patrons," Leia suggested, "Maybe we'll pick up a lead."

"I gather you didn't find anything more in those data cards?"

"No," she answered, "The club has been the only solid lead we've got, it's worth checking out again."

"Point."

"Well why are we waiting? Let's go."

They walked side by side in silence along one of the corridors that lead down to the lower levels. Luke tried to keep his mind on the streets and people around him, but he couldn't help but wonder how Mara was doing. _Stop it Skywalker_! He told himself firmly, _it's over she's better off without you._

But those words didn't stop the ache and longing in his heart, all he wanted to do was to hold her in his arms, to smell the beautiful scent of her hair, to kiss her sweet lips.

_Enough_! He banished those thoughts and feelings angrily to the back of his mind.

"Are you alright?"

He glanced to his sister who was looking at him with concern.

"I'm fine," he murmured, "Just frustrated."

"We'll find these Dragons, it will just take time," Leia replied, "Unless you want to go back home?"

"No, I want to bring this gang to justice," he replied, "So no one else gets hurt."

"I understand," she said, "But don't let your angry and grief get in the way of your judgement," she cautioned.

He was about to reply when a warning started in the back of his mind, he stretched out with the force looking for danger and soon found it. Someone was trailing them.

_We've got company_, he sent to Leia through their bond.

_I know, I think there's one in front of us as well_, she sent back.

He stretched out again sure enough there was. _This way_! They turned sharply into a side alley and sped up their pace into a jog.

"Who do you think they are?" Leia managed.

"Most likely Dragons," Luke replied.

They turned the corner and skidded to a halt. "What now?" Leia asked as she stared at the dead end.

"I'm not sure?" Luke said, "But we had better do something soon."

They could sense two beings following in close pursuit.

"Force jump," Luke suddenly said, "Up there!" he pointed to a balcony of the next level up.

"No Luke, you know I can't do that," Leia protested.

"You're going to have to" he replied.

"I can't," she shook her head.

"I'll help you," he held out his hand, she hesitated before taking it. "On three. One…two…" Suddenly Leia was slammed forward into the wall, knocking her head. Luke spun blaster ready, but could not see the attacker. Behind you! His mind screamed. He spun to see a bar heading for his face, he ducked but not quick enough. The rod collided with his skull sending him to the ground unconscious.

* * *

Luke slowly awoke to a throbbing head, opening his eyes he waited for the haze to clear. He seemed to be lying on his side in a very small room, he went to sit up but found that his wrists and ankles were cuffed. _Great_, he thought shutting his eyes, they flew open a second later, _Leia_!

He strained his head to look around the room, but found no sign of his sister. He stretched out with the force searching for her. He soon found her presences in the room next to his. _Leia__, are you alright?_ He sent.

_Yeah I'm fine except for an aching head and being restrained_, she sent back. _You_?

_Same,_ he replied, _any sign of life?_

_I haven't seen any, but I can sense minds nearby,_ she answered.

He stretched out again finding the people, some were human others were alien and there was something else, something dark. He tried to wrap his mind around the feeling but suddenly the door to his room opened, causing him to lose his concentration. He looked up to see two armoured guards walk in, one grabbed him roughly by the arms yanking him to his feet, while the other took off the bonds around his ankles.

"Not so rough there," Luke muttered. Without warning he was back handed across the face then grabbed by the jaw.

"You will speak only when spoken too," the guard growled. Luke glared at him, giving him a nod before the man let go of his jaw.

A cover was then placed over his head blinding him, then he was shoved forward as they began to walk. They walked along what Luke thought to be a corridor before stopping in a turbo lift. After getting off the lift they walked again until he heard the hiss of a door, moment later he was pushed to his knees, the blindfold removed. Second later Leia was pushed down beside him, the cover over her head also removed.

"Greetings," they both looked up to see a medium weight man sitting on a throne like chair up on a low stage, beside him stood a tall thin pale humanoid, that had coldness to him.

"You are?" Luke asked expecting to be slapped again, but it never came.

"My name is unimportant" he replied, "But yours is. Who are you?"

"I would like to know who I am speaking to," Luke commented trying to get the man's name, suddenly Luke was whacked hard across the lower back, he let out a cry as pain shot up his spine.

The man became more serious, "I am someone that you want to be very truthful and straight forward to," he replied, "Now who are you?"

"Jemmia" Leia spoke up, "My name is Jemmia, and this is my partner Tanner," she nodded to her brother.

"Partners as in?" He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

"Crime," she answered.

"What kind of crime?"

"This and that, hired help mostly," she replied hoping he would believe her.

"I see," the man said, "Why are you here then?"

"We want to join your gang," Luke said from the side, "We have heard good things about it and feel that we could be a great asset to you."

The man turned his attention on Luke. "What sort of things have you heard?" he asked.

"This and that, the word on the street," he replied.

The man said nothing more, turning to the humanoid beside him, he started to speak to him quietly.

_Do you think they bought it?_ Leia asked through their link.

_I'm not sure, they're very weary_. Luke replied back.

The man stopped talking and turned back to the pair. "I believe that I will give you a chance, but you must prove to me that you are worthy of entering into the ranks of the Blood Dragons."

"How do we do that?" Luke asked.

"A fight to the death, if one of you win, you and your partner will be given a chance, if you fail… well you'll have nothing to worry about, ever again," he smiled.

"Nice, so who do I fight?" Luke asked volunteering himself.

The man gestured with his head and the guards released the bonds around Luke's wrist, they then pulled him to his feet and ushered him to a circular pattern on the floor as the humanoid stepped onto another circle a metre away from him.

Warning bells started at the back of his mind as he readied himself, most likely they were telling him that this guy wasn't going to go down easy. As he stared at the humanoid he noticed that it didn't ready itself, that it just stood there staring back. Luke was slightly confused and worried by the action but shrugged it aside.

Suddenly without warning the floor beneath him collapsed open sending him down a tunnel and out into a large pit like arena that reminded him of the one at Jabba the Hutts Palace on Tatooine. He hoped they didn't have a Rancor down here.

A thunderous growl echoed through the pit as a large door slowly slide up to reveal a creature hidden in the shadows. Luke couldn't identify what it was, but he was certain that it wasn't a Rancor, mostly the fact that it was smaller.

_Luke?_

_I'm fine Leia, but they've got something down here._

_Can you kill it?_

_Yes I believe so, but I'm going to have to use the force to do so._

_They're watching on the screens, be careful not to reveal yourself._

Great, he thought._ I will _he sent back.

He readied himself for the creature, it dived at him in a flash, he jumped to the side but the creature clipped his arm knocking him to the ground, he immediately jumped to his feet and stared at the feline beast as it stared back with its yellow eyes. Neither of them moved, then a clanking of metal pierced the silence, a small vibro blade landed with a clunk on the ground right behind the feline.

Well at least they gave me a weapon.

Suddenly the creature dived at him, he dashed to the side and towards the knife. The feline was quick, as Luke's fingers curled around the handle of the blade. The feline landed full force on his back, he tried to flip over so he could use the knife but it was to heavy. He had no choice he could sense the feline about to strike, he stretched out with the force, finding the feline in it he made an invisible fist and hit it hard in the ribs, it hissed in pain faltering. Its weight moved off of him just long enough for him to flip onto his back, he brought up the knife in one quick move and rammed it into the feline's throat.

The creature reared back hissing, Luke rolled out from under it, climbing to his feet he backed away and watched as it slowly died. When it lay still he let out a sigh of relief, moments later a door opened and two thugs walked in, they grabbed Luke by the arms and led him out and back up to where Leia and the others where.

"I must say I am impressed," the leader said, "Only one other has survived the pit."

"I guess I should consider myself lucky then," Luke replied.

"Very," the leader said.

"So does this mean we're in?" Luke asked.

"No," leader said, "But we will be needing hired help."

"Now wait a minute," Luke protested.

"We will contact you when you are needed," The leader cut him off, "Until then." With that he gestured to the guard before leaving the room.

"Follow," one guard ordered.

Luke glanced at Leia before obeying.

They were lead to a dark speeder and forced into the back of the vehicle, the guard climbed in behind them, the windows of the speeder had been painted black and were impossible to see out of. The speeder engine then started and it began to move.

Sometime later they stopped and were ordered out onto a walkway before the speeder left.

"Nice people," Leia commented "Where are we?"

"Back at the apartment," Luke said turning.

"Well that was fun," Leia said "So what do we do now?"

"Wait until they contact us, I guess" Luke replied.

"We're going to work for them?" Leia asked.

"We have no choice," Luke answered. "They don't seem to trust us enough to let us join their group. We may have to prove our loyalty by doing jobs for them."

"Great, let's hope they don't want us to do anything to terrible" Leia murmured.

"Yes," Luke agreed. "Let's go inside and work out what we're going to do next."

**BIG Thankyou to everyone for being so patient, I know this chapter has been a long time coming. **

**Another BIG Thankyou to all those who read and review this. **

**Please note that the next chapter may take a little while to update. But it will be about Mara.**


	5. Awakenings

**PLEASE NOTE: THAT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A SHORT REFERENCE TO A SUBJECT THAT MAY NOT BE SUITABLE TO YOUNG READERS.**

**CHAPTER 5**

Mara slowly woke to the sound of snoring, she smiled inwardly to herself at the thought of her husband beside her fast asleep. Opening her eyes and waiting for them to focus she found that she was staring at a very white ceiling.

Odd? She couldn't remember the ceiling of their apartment being that colour. She went to roll over but found out very painfully that her body was stiff, it felt like she hadn't moved for weeks. She decided the safes and less painful way would be to just turn her head, though this still hurt. Slowly she saw that she lay on a bed in what looked like a medical center room, then she noticed where the snoring was coming, her sister in law's husband, Han Solo sat on a un-comfortable looking chair, fast asleep.

Where was Luke? Wasn't he supposed to be the one in the chair watching over her.

She decided to find out. She went to say Solo's name but her tongue felt like lead in her mouth and the words came out not even a whisper. She tried again but got the same result, then an idea struck her, she stretched out with the force- which was very difficult in her current state- and found Solo and the chair he was sitting on, with one almighty shove she pushed the chair and its occupants to the floor with a crash.

Solo instantly jumped to his feet, looking around in all directions until his eyes fell on her.

"Mara!" He came to her side. "You're awake!"

She whispered Luke's name or at least tried to, but Han put a finger to her lips. "Don't talk, you're still pretty out of it. The doc said that you probably wouldn't be fully awake until dawn and it's still a few hours off, so you wouldn't want to make a lair out of them would you."

She shot him an evil look, but he was right her body didn't seem to be responding to well to her brain., and she was suddenly tired, she turned her head back to stare at the ceiling before shutting her eyes and falling unconscious ,when she awoke next it was nearly midday.

After the doctors had checked her over and gave the okay she had been allowed visitors.

She had desperately hoped that the man that walked through the door was her husband, but a nagging feeling in the back of her mind and the fact that she had discovered the wedding ring that she had given him on her finger told her that it wouldn't be. She had preyed that he had given it to her for safe keeping until he got back from where ever he had gone, but gut instinct was saying that he had done something drastic.

Just then Han walked through the door, smile on his face. "How are you doing?" he asked walking over to her and sitting down in the chair next to her bed.

She remained silent for a moment before turning her gaze on him, looking him in the eyes. "Where is he?"

He paused considering his options. "With Leia." he finally answered. "Away on a trip, they didn't go into much detail."

"What kind of a trip?"

"Something for the Republic." Han shift uncomfortably in his sit, while trying to keep an even face.

Mara gave him a dark glare. "It is not wise to lie to a Jedi, especially one with a temper."

"Look Leia asked me not to tell you until I thought you were in a state of condition to handle it, and at the moment you're not"

"I'm a Jedi, I can handle it, just tell me where my husband is."

"It's not you I'm worried about," his eyes darted to her midsection before coming back to her, she gave him a confused look not understanding. He let out a sigh, "you're pregnant."

She had prided herself on being prepared for all occasions and not letting anything surprise her, but this news shocked her to the core, her jaw dropped a few inches, she than let out a shaky laugh. "Good one Solo." He gave her a solemn stare. "How…how long?"

"About two months, around the time you were attacked, the docs think just before hand," he said.

"Does Luke know?" she asked still in shock.

"No, he and Leia left before the discovery." Han shifted in his seat again. "Mara I don't want to alarm you, but well with the condition you were in the past two months the child, well it hasn't had a very good start to its life with the medications and all…"

"Solo!" She growled getting frustrated with the situation and that fact that he wasn't giving her a straight answer.

"The doctors said that you must be very careful because your pregnancy is very fragile and they precisely said _no stress_!" Han stated.

"So Luke _has_ gone somewhere dangerous." She knew it, deep down she just knew he had gone on another wild mission.

"I promised Leia I wouldn't say a word," Han said, "but yes they have gone someplace dangerous, but they have each other."

Mara's hand subconsciously when to her stomach.

"If you want this child to survive you need to rest and do as the doctors say," he insisted.

"Is there anything wrong with the child physically?" She asked.

Han shook his head. "The doctors say that it is healthy, expect a little bit smaller then normal and the fragile state it is in, other then that they believe it will grow to be perfectly fine."

She was silent for a long moment before saying, "I'm tired, do you mine if I ask you to leave."

He stood, "no of course not." He headed for the door, "you take it easy okay."

Mara nodded in reply and watched him go. After he had left she rolled onto her side back facing the door, she should be happy, she was going to be a mother, but wasn't she?

She fiddled with her husband's ring, why had he given it to her, didn't he love her any more? Or did her appearance after the attack offend him? She lifted a hand to her face, it felt smooth and unmarked, but she needed to see with her eyes.

She swung her legs out over the bed and slowly stood, her legs where a bit shaky to start with but she was determined. She made her way slowly to the small refresher connected to her room. She stood there in front of the mirror and lifted her gaze to share at herself, her face looked perfectly normal expect for a few very faint scars.

_Then it must be another reason,_ she thought.

She made her way back to her bed and laid down. She thought about the child inside of her, she still wasn't happy why?

She thought long and hard for an answer then Solo's words reverberated through her mind. _Around the time you where attacked._

"No!" She whispered not even wanting to think it.

She couldn't remember much about or around the time of the attack, she couldn't even remember if there was a possibility that it was Luke's child.

"No!" She told herself again, the child was Luke's, it was Luke's!

But the doubt was there now.

She rolled over and squeezed her eyes shut fighting tears, the thought of another violating her with out her knowledge overwhelmed her.

"Pull yourself together Jade!" She hissed to herself, but the tears came. "Its just the side effects of the medication you were given, it's messing with your system!"

But even to her that sounded like a poor excuse.

She curled up and let the tears come freely sobbing into the pillow.

_Luke, where in the sith's name are you!_

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**A.N**

**Thankyou to everyone who reads and reviews this.**

**Sorry for the long wait. **

**I would just like to say that chapter updates will propably be a bit slow from now on. So thankyou for your patiences. **

**And please excuse any bad spelling or gammer.**


	6. Kidnappings

**Chapter 6**

It had been a couple of weeks since Mara had first awoken in the medical center, now- after being released- she lay on the bed in the guest room of the Solo's apartment looking at the ceiling, unable to sleep even at such a late hour. She hadn't stopped thinking about recent events ever since she had awaken, her mind kept thinking about Luke and why he had left, whether he was the father of the child inside of her.

Suddenly her personal comlink that she had retrieved from her and Luke's apartment, beeped from the side stand. She instantly grabbed for it, after fumbling in the dark her fingers found it. "Jade," she spoke into it.

"Mara?" Came a familiar voice.

"Luke!" she exclaimed sitting upright in bed, relief flooding her.

"Mara please, I'm in trouble, I need your help," came his reply.

"What? Where are you?" she asked tensely.

"North spaceport, docking bay 48," he answered. "But please you must come alone, and you mustn't tell anyone where you are going."

"Why?" was all she could say.

"They will kill me if you do." Suddenly there was a burst of static and the comlink when dead.

"Luke? Luke!"

Mara was instantly on her feet getting dressed, grabbing her blaster and lightsabre from the top draw of the wardrobe she headed out the door, not bothering to wake Solo. Luke had said they would kill him if she didn't come alone and she wasn't going to risk it.

It didn't take long for her to reach the spaceport, all the way there she mind was telling her to turn around, that it was a trap, but she refused to abandon Luke. He had always been there for her.

Climbing out of the speeder she quietly made her way to the hanger, dashing behind a stack of crates she peered out and spotted a cloaked figure kneeling between two guards in the center of the bay. She opened her mind stretching out to Luke's mind but could not connect to it, in fact the area around him and the guards was nothing but a big empty bubble.

Damn! She thought, they must have ysalamiri. Thinking up a new plan, she set her blaster to stun, and aimed, firing she hit her target dead center, falling him. As the other guard started to react she fired again hitting him also.

Looking around she waited to see if anybody else would come, but no one showed. After it was clear that they where alone, Mara climbed out from behind the crate and dash across the hanger to the cloaked figure.

"Luke!" She knelt down instantly in front of him.

"Not quite," the figure replied.

In a flash the figure pulled out a syringe and jabbed it into Mara's arm. Mara jumped back, but it was already to late, her senses started to go fuzzy and dark as the drug took a hold of her.

The cloaked figure stood slowly, watching the Jedi woman as she fell unconscious. '_Foolish human,_' he thought, lowering his hood to reveal his pale, thin face.

"Alright, hands where I can see them!"

The humanoid looked up to see a middle aged man standing a couple of metres away, blaster aimed at him. "Captain Solo, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Yeah I'm sure it is, now hands in the air!" Han ordered gesturing with his weapon. "Or I'll start shooting."

"A word of advice Captain, leave now."

"And what makes you think I'm going to leave without Jade," Han replied.

"I don't." The humanoid gave a slight nod of his head. A weapon instantly fired hitting Han square between the shoulders, he went down cold, stunned. "But you should have listened to my advice anyway Captain," the humanoid murmured walking over the unconscious forms to his men. "Pack them into the crates in the cargo hold out of sight, and keep them sedated. Our other guests will be arriving soon."

. . . . . . .

Luke and Leia climbed out of the back seat of the speeder as they came to a stop at the North Spaceport.

"This way," their guide instructed.

They followed in silences as they were lead through the corridors to a hanger bay with a large cargo ship.

"What's going on?" Luke asked as they stopped in front of the tall pale humanoid they had seen several times over the past couple of months around the Dragon's hideout.

"Our Mistress has ordered an audience with you both," it said. "She is pleased with the work that you have done for us and wishes to make you both into honored Blood Dragons."

"Really?" Luke and Leia both asked with surprise.

"Yes, now follow me we are about to lift off." He turned without another word and headed for the ramp.

'_This doesn't feel right'_ Leia sent through their bond.

'_I know, but we almost have their leader,' _Luke replied as they started to followed the alien. _'Just a little longer.'_

Leia sighed inwardly as they entered the ship. _'Alright, but only a little longer_.'

**

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**

A.N

**Thankyou to everyone who reads, and reviews this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**Sorry for the shortness and the lateness.**

**If there are any questions about anything just ask. **

**I also have a forum if anyone is interested, it's only new though.**


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